Human Remains recovered from the Ufutobaru Shellmidden, Yomitan Village, Okinawa Prefecture -Physical characteristics of the Ufutobaru population -

沖縄県読谷村大当原貝塚出土人骨について　大当原貝塚集団の身体的特徴

The Ufutobaru shellmidden is located in Yomitan Village, located in the central region of the main island of Okinawa and dated to the Late Shellmidden period (the Early Yayoi-Heian period). It was excavated in 1972 and 1989. These two seasons of excavations yielded human remains. The skull of one of the individuals was covered by pottery. Human bones were concentrated in some areas. The date of these human bone clusters is not clear since no datable artifacts were associated with them. We examined these human remains. Consequently, in addition to the individual whose skull was covered by pottery. there are eighteen other individuals. Their age and sex are: twelve adult males (MNI), five adult females, and one young adult of unknown sex. Morphologically, both males and females have small skulls and have well developed upper limbs compared to the lower limbs. These morphological characteristics are consistent with other prehistoric populations in the region. Furthermore, three individuals each had four canine teeth extracted from their mandibles. This was practice was also common in the Amami and Okinawa archipelagos during prehistoric times.